Proverbs

4 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, And attend that ye may know understanding.

2 For good teaching have I given you, Mine instruction do not ye forsake.

3 For a son became I to my father, Tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.

4 So he taught me and said to me—Let thy heart lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!

5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her and she will guard thee,—Love her and she will keep thee.

7 The principal thing is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition acquire thou understanding.

8 Exalt her and she will set thee on high, She will bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her:

9 She will give for thy head a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning will she bestow upon thee.

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And they will multiply to thee the years of life.

11 In the way of wisdom have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.

12 When thou walkest thy step shall not be hemmed in, And if thou runnest thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go,—Keep her for she is thy life.

14 Upon the path of the lawless do not thou enter, And do not advance in the way of the wicked:

15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—Turn from it and depart.

16 For they sleep not unless they can do mischief,—They rob themselves of their sleep if they cannot cause someone to stumble.

17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, And wine obtained by violence they drink.

18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn,—Going on and brightening, unto meridian day.

19 The way of the lawless is like darkness, They know not at what they stumble.

20 My son to my words attend, To my sayings incline thou thine ear;

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, Keep them in the midst of thy heart;

22 For life they are to them who find them,—And to every part of one’s flesh they bring healing.

23 Above all that must be guarded keep thou thy heart, For out of it are the issues of life.

24 Remove from thee perverseness of mouth, And craftiness of lips put far from thee.

25 Let thine eyes right onward look,—And thine eyelashes point straight before thee.

26 Make level the track of thy foot, That all thy ways may be directed aright:

27 Decline not to the right hand or to the left,—Turn away thy foot from wickedness.